Other Britannia Another Holy Grail

[GLindsey]

Made in 1908
.25 Cal.
It's still tight and functions perfectly. I resealed it with a new leather piston seal but kept the original spring it came with. I had ordered the seal from England, and it took over two months to get to me. It was hung up in customs for 7 weeks.

 

[JamieUK]

Right at the top of my 'classic want list'.....beautiful bit of design work and engineering. They don't make'm like that anymore.....

 

[GLindsey]

Yes, I got lucky finding this one. I've seen only two in the last 10 years for sale.

 

[Toxylon]

Bonehill Britannia's are just about the coolest airguns around. They came out at a time when spring piston airguns were enjoying massive innovation and improvement, and they were so well designed and manufactured they are still great guns, not just good for a centenarian+. Unique, as well, after all this time.

 

[Pellets&Pistons-(Razor62)]

Fantastic acquisition, my friend. She's a keeper, for sure.
Would love to see more photos. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful rifle.

 

[KWK]

Coolest iteration on the old Gem design with the spring in the buttstock. A really sleek and neat rifle. About the only gun that could compete with the underlever BSA's. I have never had parts held up by customs and then delivered. When it has happened (rare occasions) the monkeys misinterpreted UK export laws and destroyed rare and valuable parts. I bought a BSA airgun stock once and the baboons deemed it too dangerous to send airmail so it went "surface" which means by ship and it took 6 weeks to arrive. Just the luck of the draw, shipping from UK. Good luck if your shipment is checked by a primate or an activist.
Would you kindly show us an overall full length photo?

 

[GLindsey]

Fantastic acquisition, my friend. She's a keeper, for sure.
Would love to see more photos. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful rifle.

I will take more photos

 

[GLindsey]

Coolest iteration on the old Gem design with the spring in the buttstock. A really sleek and neat rifle. About the only gun that could compete with the underlever BSA's. I have never had parts held up by customs and then delivered. When it has happened (rare occasions) the monkeys misinterpreted UK export laws and destroyed rare and valuable parts. I bought a BSA airgun stock once and the baboons deemed it too dangerous to send airmail so it went "surface" which means by ship and it took 6 weeks to arrive. Just the luck of the draw, shipping from UK. Good luck if your shipment is checked by a primate or an activist.
Would you kindly show us an overall full length photo?
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More pictures coming soon.

 

[Nitrocrushr]

Beautiful rifle Greg!!

Steve

 

[vintageairguncollector@gm]

Thank you for posting picture, I come here to learn about airguns like Greg's rifle.

 

[GLindsey]

A couple more pictures of the Britannia.

 

[crowski]

Fascinating, thanks for sharing. Crow
That baby would be cold to shoot in winter.

 

[Pellets&Pistons-(Razor62)]

Incredible find! Such a unique and robust design. Thanks for adding these photos. This is centerfold material for the teenager in me...

 

[beerthief]

Made in 1908
.25 Cal.
It's still tight and functions perfectly. I resealed it with a new leather piston seal but kept the original spring it came with. I had ordered the seal from England, and it took over two months to get to me. It was hung up in customs for 7 weeks.

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very nice find ! just looked on Google (videos) , impressive rifle .

 

[KWK]

As you can see it's a carryover of the Quackenbush Model 5 from around 1884.
Or perhaps a German Gem. Notice the patchbox held a firing pin so the rifle could be converted to fire .22RF

 

[MDriskill]

Great find of a great rifle! Congrats.

"ptdunk" over at the UK forums posted a super video on the Britannia. Well worth a look! (He has a LOT of other excellent videos, too.)